Illuminated bubbling ornament



June 26,1945;

J. H. KLQNER ILLUMINATED BUBBLING ORNAMENT Filed Aug. 5, 1945 INVENTOR JOSEPH H. MAO/v52 i LQ/Z ATTCRNEY PatentedJune 26,1945

ILLUMINATED BUBBLING ORNAMENT Joseph H. Kloner, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application August 5, 1943, Serial No. 497,557

17 Claims.

This invention relates to improvement in bubbling illuminating devices and a method for operating same, and more particularly is directed to devices and a method of the character described which provides continuous streams of bubbles in a body of transparent liquid embodied in the operation and construction of illuminated omamental and decorative display devices, such as for Chirs'tmas tree lighting, bubble signs and the like.

Among the'obiects of the invention is to generally improve devices of the character described and their method of operation inwhich a simplifled construction of few and easily assembled parts are required, which shall be economical to manufacture especially in quantity production, which shall be' positive and reliable in operation requiring a minimum of external heat supply, and which shall be practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordinglyconsists of features of construction and method, combinations of elements, arrangement of parts and steps in operation which will be exemplified in the constructions and method hereinafter described and of which the scope of the application will indicate in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawingin which one possible illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown Figure'l is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the invention embodied in an illuminated bubbling ornament.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is another vertical sectional view taken.

on line 3-3 of Figure 2. 1 V

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, shown on an enlarged scale, illustrating the method embodying the invention in which bubbles are generated, consolidated or merged into a single mass, and then subdivided into a flowing stream of bubbles in a spiralling effect.

Referring in detail to the drawing numeral l0 designates a bubbling ornament constructed to embody the invention, and is seen to include a sealed transparent glass tube body ll having a closed rounded bottom end i2 and a closedupwardly tapered top end l3, so that in appearance it simulates the outline of a candle in form, shape and size. Opposed wall portions of the tube body ll adjacent the bottom end l2 are pinched inwardly as at M-li until said wall portions meet in abutment or are fused together at, I16. The meeting or fusing of said wall portions I! may provide a domed baiile it which terminates within the tube body to provide a pair of spaced apart restricted passages "-41, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The baffle partitions the tube body i i into a lower bubble generating chamber IS, an upper elongated chamber 20, and in addition provides for an accumulation space for a merged bubble B inrthe manner hereinafter described.

The tube body il contains preferably a readily volatilizable liquid 2| such as ether, wood alcohol or other like products having a relatively normal low boiling point. The liquid 2i may be placed in the tube body I I through the top and ii thereof, before fusing the walls thereof to a level short of said top end I3 as shown in Fig. 5. Air may be evacuated from space 22 above the level of the liquid 2| before the top end i3 is hermetically sealed to lower the normal boiling point of liquid 2i. Said space 22 constitutes a condensing and.

heat dissipating means.

The lower or bottom end of the tube body H which forms as a bubble generating chamber ll, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5 may contain a porous or other substance having an extensive exposed surface, such for example as loose, broken lava particles 23. Said lava particles 23 may only partially fill the chamber is to provide free space to serve as an accumulator under the dome Ilia of baflie is for streams of bubbles A generated and rising from lava particles 23, as shown in 'Fig. 5.

' In Figure 1 of the drawing, the invention is shown with the bubbling ornament supported by its lower rounded end i2 and disposed in close proximity to a low wattage incandescent electric lamp, such as a miniature bulb 24 mounted horizontally in an electric socket 25 rigidly mounted on to a suitable support 26. For securely retaining the bubble ornament ill in position over the bulb 24, a suitable connecting holder fitting is provided. The neck of the bulb 24 passes through anopening 30a provided in a depending end wall 3022 which may be integral found with one end of a half-round shield 800 of said holder fitting 30. The end wall 30a is constructed and arranged to be engaged between the base of the bulb 24 and the adjacent end of the socket 25 when the bulb 24 is screwed home into the socket 25 to firmly clamp the shield 300 against turning movement from the position shown in Fig. 1. The holder fitting 80 may be made of a molded plastic material and have integral formed therewith an upwardly extending tubular open ended extension 30d. The lower end l2 of the tube body 1 I, is firmly seated in said tubular extension 80d for supporting the bubble ornament ill in a vertical upstanding position in the manner of a candle. when the extension 30d is made of an opaque material, the lower bubble generating chamber l9 is concealed from view, the lower rounded end I2 01 the tube body Ii being then disposed directly above the source of heat, which in this instance, is filament 24a of the lamp bulb 24.

In practice, assume that the miniature electric lamp 24- is lighted. Heat radiated therefrom, although only to a degree or eilective temperature slightly above that of the room atmosphere, acts Operation and has been found to start and provide a continuous stream of bubbles C even when the baflle iii to serve as an accumulator. Thus the minute bubbles A rising from the particles 23 build up against the baffle domed underside Ilia to form a larger or merged bubble -B When the latter expands and attains a size or spread to extend over either or both of the passages I'i-I'l it is transformed, that is, portions of the merged bubble B break away and rise through said passages i'l-il and lengthwise up through the chamber 20 in practically uniform sized bubbles C, the cross sectional area, construction and arrangement of passages lI--l'| determining the size and flowof the stream of bubbles C being formed. By constructing passages i'l-il as shown in Fig. 5, a spiral movement effect is imparted to bubbles C rising in chamber 20, the side of tube body ll 'being pressed inwardly at It! as shown in Fig. 3, to provide such construction. As each large bubble B is broken down in passing through passages 11-", the flow of the small bubbles A in a continous stream from the lava particles 23 keeps on building up the bubble B, and in fact helps equalize the flow. Since the lava particles 23 are loose within the chamber i 9, they are free to shift their positions relative to the point at which the heat is applied and also relative to each other by reason of any turbulent action which may take place in the lower chamber i9 when heat is suddenly applied to a specific area. Such an arrangement is inducive of a quick starting action for the generation of a stream of bubbles A, and also results in constantly exposing covered surfaces of said particles 23 to the influence of heat applied.

Whenin full operation, a highly activated stream of bubbles C appearing to flow with a, spiral move- 4 ment effect, appears to pass through in the upper chamber 20 which gives the desired illuminated bubbling effect. By reason of the indented portions |8-l8, the passages l'l-l'l are formed to give bubbles C' a predetermined flow path with spiral movement eifect.

The lighting of bulb 24 to produce the bubbling effect above described illuminates the side wall of the transparent glass body II to the top end tip l3 and imparts the appearance of a lighted candle with illuminated ornamental body.

It has been found that the construction and arrangement of the baflie i6 and passages |1-I'i are such as'to predetermine the size of the bubble 0 being transformed from bubble mass B, so that changing the area of the passages i'I-ll is effective to correspondingly change the size of the bubble C within wide limits.

It should be noted that the invention as above described and shown is extremely sensitive in evacuated space 22 above the level of the liquid 2 i has a minimum of external or radiant heat applied, as by means of the bulb 24, to act on the lava particlesi23 immersed in the portion of the liquid 2| in chamber I 9, at the-tube bottom end l2. The extensive surface exposure of said porous lava particles 23 when so heated generates the small size bubbles A which rise up therefrom. The flow of these bubbles A by merging or coalescing within the liquid 2| on the under or domed surface i6a of the baille ii, are accumulated. concentrating into a mass in the'form oflarge bubble B. The latter spreads. over said under surface l6a until it reaches the passages l-l'l where it breaks off as by 9. fission" like action and in passing through, is divided and released in the form of a stream of bubbles C which arise through the column of liquid 2! in chamber 20 with a. spiralcycle oi operations as long as said radiant heat is applied.

It is therefore seen that there is provided an improved device and a method of operation in which the objects of the invention are achieved and which are well adapted to meet all conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments may be made in the above invention for use for diiferent purposes and as various changes might be made in the embodiments and method above set forth, it is understood that all the above matters here set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Thus having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A method of the character described consisting of producing a ilow of relatively small bubbles in a liquid, concentrating the flowing bubbles into a mass by obstructing the fiow, andslon like action to provide a stream of bubbles larger than those first generated.

4. A method of producing bubbles of the character described consisting of heating one end of a volatile liquid column under less than atmospherlc pressure to generate relatively small bubbles for rising in said liquid column, merging said bubbles into a single mass bubble midway said liquid column, and subdividing the mass bubble while continuing the formation thereof into a stream of bubbles larger than those first generated for passage through the liquid column beyond said midway.

5. The method of producing bubbles of the character described consisting or heating a volatile liquid column under less than atmospheric pressure with a minimum or external heat in which there is immersed an extensiv surface exposed vaporizing means adjacent the heating source to generate bubbles for rising in said liquid column, merging said generated bubble into a mass bubble within the liquid, and releasing bubbles larger than those first generated in a stream which said subdividing means controls the size of from said mass bubble as a source for passage through said liquid column.

6. The method of producing bubbles defined in claim 5 including the step or controlling the releasing oi said bubble stream to produce a fiow of substantially uniform sized bubbles.

7. A method or the character described consisting of generating a fiow or bubbles in a liquid, transforming said bubbles into a coalescing mass, and then regenerating a stream or bubbles larger than those first generated from said mass while continuing the formation thereof. I

8. In an illuminated bubbling device of the character described, acolumn or volatile liquid under reduced atmospheric pressure, means for applyin heat externally to an end or said liquid column to a degree just above the normal temperature of said liquid coluinn for generating bubbles in an upward stream, means in the path of the generated bubble stream to cause a coalescence for forming a bubble mass in a predetermined portion 01 the liquid column, and means carried by said coalescence means for releasing bubbles from said mass in a stream for passing through the liquid column.

9. In an illuminated bubbling device or the character described, a column or volatile liquid under reduced atmospheric pressure, means for applying heat externally to an end 0! said liquid column to a degree Just above the normal temperature or said liquid, means immersed in said liquid column end adjacent to the heating means for generating bubbles in an upward stream,

the bubbles of said flowing stream.

12. A bubble ornament comprising a sealed transparent body having a lower chamber and an upper chamber connected together by a restricted passage, a volatile liquid filling the lower chamber and partially filling the upper chamber; the unfilled portion of said upper chamber being under reduced atmospheric pressure, a porous element having an extensive exposed surface immersed in the liquid of said lower chamber, the porous element in the lower chamber being adapted to be subjected to radiant heat for generating bubbles to rise in the liquid of said lower chamber, and means spaced above the porous element for trapping the generated bubbles within said lower chamber to form a single merged bubble and for releasing from the merged bubble through said passage in a flowing stream of bubbles through the liquid .or the upper chamber.

13. A bubble ornament as setforth in claim 12 in which said means therein includes a perforated baflle formed from the tube body.

14. A bubble ornament comprising a transparent tube body containing a liquid, ,a baflle within-- the tube body adjacent the lower end thereof dividing the tube body into a lower bubbl generating chamber and an upper chamber, said baffle having a concaved underside and formed with spaced apart passages therein establishing communication between the twochambers, and a porous element disposed below said baflie within the lower bubble generating chamber adapted to be subjected to a minimum of radiant heat for generating a multiplicity of minute bubbles rising from said element and becoming trapped beneath I said bafile to form a single large bubble which on expanding passes upwardly through at least one of the passages as a flowing stream of intermediate size bubbles into said upper chamber.

15. A bubble ornament as set iorth in claim 14 in which passages are shaped to cause said fiow-v ing stream or passing bubbles to givev a spirallin efiect on passing throughthe upper chamber.

16. A bubble ornament comprising a transparent tube body or substantially uniform diameter throughout its length having a liquid therein, a porous element disposed at the bottom or the tube body, a baflle within the tube body above the porous body having a plurality or passages therein, said element and baflle being so constructed. and arranged that upon the application means in the path 01 the generated bubbles stream to cause a coalescence ior forming a bubble mass in a predetermined portion of the liquid column, and means positioned adjacent said coalescence means for disassociatin said bubble mass into 'astream of bubbles flowing through the liquid, said last mentioned means being constructed and arranged to control the uniformity or size or the bubbles in said flowing stream. 10. A bubbling device of the character delater means to: translorming said mass by a an. den" like action into a stream of bubbles larger than time put generated.

0! minimum radiant heat will cause minute bubbles to rise from said element and become trapped beneath the bathe-whereby a large bubble is formed thereunder which on being released through at least one 01 said es rises upwardly as a flowing stream 01 bubblesin the liquid of the tube body.

17. A bubbling device tor continuously generating a fiow of bubbles in a lower portion or an elongated column of volatile liquid of the character described including means positioned in the path offiow for retarding same and permitting merger-of said flow into an expanding mass bubble above said portion, said retarding means having a passage therethrough to permit parts oi said mass bubble to pass in a flowing stream or bubbles larger in size than those first generated in the liquid into the column above said retarding means.

- JQBEPK H. KLONER. 

